You WON’T Believe What This Church Did for Halloween... 

We have lived in western Washington since 2012 and STILL haven't found a church because of this same nonsense. I tried for the sake of my kids having a youth group but it just grated against my spirit. We have decided to stick with sound teaching online and hopefully when we get into a house we will be able to start having people over for services♥︎

Consider the Orthodox Church.

Amen. And we must also do and experience those things when we are not in church.

@@Standing.W.Israel I live in Eastern Washington, and it's gotten just as bad over here on the conservative side of the state. It feels more like going to the theater or a concert venue. It certainly wasn't like that when I was a kid in the 90s.

@bfsgman right!! I never thought I'd be THAT old person over loud music, but it's a soul wrenching gut punch when my Savior's worship is approached so cheaply.

I would pay to see that!

Or any other biblical teacher

Most definitely 😊

So that he can cry at the same minute mark that he does everywhere else?

And if Washer comes, they had better not clap for anything because he would say, "I don't know why you're clapping; I'm talking about you!"

God decreed the exact amount that would attend that church, right? How could they do otherwise? Are you sad about God's decree or angry that He decreed this?

It's to be expected. Many of them will pick sermon topics from local survey or focus group results to ensure that they are always talking about what people want to hear about. The focus is always on the comfort level of the lost and ensuring that they are entertained. Spiritual growth tends to be uncomfortable and robust doctrinal teaching is far from entertaining and is hardly the point anyway, therefore those two things are not prioritized in these types of congregations. Naturally, lost people who are comfortable, fawned over, entertained and at the same time looking to scratch a religious itch will pack these places to the gills. The great thing about the gift of the Holy Spirit is that after someone is saved, the Spirit will show them that there's something wrong and they'll leave.

@joshmccracken16 don't forget God decreed who would attend what church and they had no say in the matter, right?

I'm not sure if I follow you there? Perhaps if you repeated the comment, yet again I might get it.

@@joshmccracken16 lol :D

Amen.

To be honest I don’t see this as a good thing. Jesus told Peter to feed his sheep. Fellowship and evangelism are a vital part of feeling close to God. If we isolate ourselves we will never be as close to God as if we are serving and ministering to others. Christianity is about selflessness and what we can do to reach others for Christ.

Its now the majority of the church, pray for them they are lost sheep God bless you jesus only way and only answer good doctrine is priceless love from australia

The Bible wasn’t available to the masses for about 1,500 years after Christ and they managed to worship God. Yet they are given the Bible on the screen each service today. The Word of God isn’t a book; it lasts forever. You don’t need a physical Bible to worship God. I’d urge you to focus on your own sin and shortcomings and less on how other people choose to worship. I don’t choose to worship in a suit and tie with a leather bound Bible in my hand singing 19th century hymns. I don’t really care if you have an issue with that. If that is a problem then it’s between God and me.

​@@kevinkent6351you missed his point entirely because you were too busy judging him based on how you prefer to worship.

@@charlibrown7745 I’m not judging him at all. His point was that his method of worship is superior to others’. I’m challenging that assertion. Challenging a Pharisee to defend his attacks on fellow Christians isn’t judgment.

@@kevinkent6351 The problem is that verses shown on a screen are without context. And you know the slogan: "a text without a context is a pretext". You are absolutely right that you do not need a physical Bible to worship God. But is extremely helpful to have one with you to avoid being misled. I don't wear a suit and tie, I don't have a leather-bound Bible, and I rather like 20th century hymns (plus Venantius Fortunatus, 6th century). The church I attend has a stack of Bibles for people to use during the service AND makes extensive use of a projector. The context is there if you want to check.

I agree. The flashing lights, loud music, and mist, etc are turning churches into concerts or shows. Church is supposed to supposed to be counter cultural but these churches are using today’s culture to bring new Christians in. It’s sad really 😔

Not my church. We still believe in holiness and separation and not following the trends of the world 🙏✝️💒🕊💜

Amen

I wonder if there were people in the 1700s or 1800s who said things like, "I miss the old days when people would wear proper clothes to worship: jerkins and doublets. And I miss when we sang the hymns we knew from memory. Now we have people showing up to church in neckties and coats, and reading hymns from a book!!" At some point, books were the new, disruptive technology. Is there something specifically and inherently wrong with showing Bible verses or hymn lyrics on a screen, vs printing them in a book? It's the same information, it's just displayed in a different way. Would you rather people who showed up in shirts and t-shirts not come to church? Would you rather your church turn people away because they weren't dressed formally enough? Or are you more just upset that the world has changed?

​@@hoorayimhelping3978I think you ask some very thought provoking and poinient questions. While I tend to agree with the original post (I hold to a calvinist/Baptist theology but I attend a pentecostal church btw)...I loved the points you raised and I would have to say I also agree with you. I think of the first century church, and how they shared their belongings, had both wealthy and poor people in attendance, and I have never read in Acts where someone was dismissed for their attire. Moreover, I don't remember dismissing the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount for looking disheveled. I must admit, I long for the orderly hymnal Worship practices of the 1700 and 1800s, but that is because I am old fashioned, not because I think it's required. I think my brothers and sisters in the pentecostal church get too emotional over worship, rather than focusing on the correct theology being in the words that are sung, but I still go and attend to engage in fellowship, and I love them as my family.

Looks like Todd has egg on his face. 😅

Yeah i don’t think he realizes it.

​@@joycebegnaud9645to him 1991 was yesterday

Well, the moving pictures were the 91 cast, so prima facae evidence is that it was the 91 movie.

@@californigirl I think a lot of the shots I saw are the modern cast. I don't watch the show, but Catherine Zeta Jones and that Guzman guy i recognized.

Instead of having a festival on Halloween, why didn't the church go out evangelizing? How does this glorify God when they are dressing up a pagan holiday? Also, friend, trick or treating is an open door to the enemy. Please watch what John Ramirez says about Halloween.

@sharonabbott9588 no one at the church festival were dressed up. They did not have any devil related anything. What they did have was scripture and yes they were sharing the gospel. And I'll look at what John Ramirez says about Halloween

@@sharonabbott9588 Exactly. Taking out Christian kids for Halloween is simply supporting evil...

I think going trick or treating is not being a Christian. We don't celebrate with the pagens. Why not you would have taken her to a place she would have liked, like a restaurant. We need to teach our children the value of what Christ did for us, and not spend time dressing up to satisfy the way the world is going.

People you weren't paying attention. The opening poster is learning. Okay, say what their intention was and a lot of honest sincere parents. Make that same mistake but listened about the church and took the daughter in and had a wonderful time and realized what was more important and what you took away from it. Second of all, churches do that because it brings children to christ where they may not find christ at all if they don't. Thirdly it's a safe place for them to go to worship. If they take their children to witness at nighttime, i'm a dangerous time of the year like this it does put them in danger.

He changed careers from acting and modelling to preaching. That's a red flag right there.

@@richardgray8593 Jeff Durbin used to be a drug addict before he was a preacher. Not defending this preacher, but someone's past is less of a red flag than that. If there is no evidence of regenerate living and doctrine, that is the red flag.

@@HartyBiker Disagree. Entertainers turned preachers, especially when they have no formal theological training, are almost always bad news.

@richardgray8593 with the rare exception of a Martyn Lloyd-Jones, or someone of that stature, preachers with no formal training in general are always a bad idea. The only thing they have to offer is entertainment. But if a person in a previous life was an entertainer, and then was broken by the law and remade by the gospel, and then had the training to rightly handle the word, the background is irrelevant. What matters is the message and the heart that is oriented toward serving the thrice holy God of the Bible. I do definitely agree that there is a tendency towards unregenerates who like the sound of their own voice using the pulpit as a 1 man stage, but that isn't limited to actors and models. My point is that if someone has a heart that says "He must increase, and I must decrease" then actor or drug addict or choirboy, the background doesn't matter.

@@HartyBiker I was speaking about a rule of thumb that I believe is valid. Is it possbile for an entertainer-turned-preacher to be a sound teacher? Yeah, it's possible, but it's not common.

I was going to say the same thing. Regardless of the points of the video and theology, it is not well researched to mistake why the pastor thought this would connect with modern and young audiences using a 30+ year old movie, rather than a really popular cultural show on netflix right now that apparently alot of younger people, especially non-Christians, watch. Even the pictures of the Adams Family Cast shown at the church are the modern actors and actresses in the roles, and not anyone from the 1991 movie. This would not be an issue if Todd didn't keep repeating the point of how outdated and behind the times the church was being throughout the whole video. Whether that makes the point worse or not regardless, we should at least get the basic info straight, and then get to the important points.

That is a wonderful idea 😍sounds great but they might arrest us 🙌🏼

My daughter has done a variation of that, but not quite as far. She started doing reverse trick or treating since she was a teenager. She would go with her mother and give treats instead of asking for them. Now she is grown and has followed a similar tradition giving treat bags to friends and coworkers. She has been able through this and other things she does that show what a real Christian is really like.

@@Ourmemories2k33p. Arrested for being a Christian? THAT would never happen 😱

Nothing scarier than people coming at you evangelizing

Yeah but I wouldn't dignify their festival with a response.

With respect, Macarthur and Washer both preach a false gospel. We should be warning people away from them and their Calvinist religion.

@@jedimasterham2, no, they don’t. Have you read Romans 9, and Ephesians 1? Perhaps you should, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the correct understanding of the scriptures. You apparently don’t understand why the redeemed of Christ are called PREDESTINATED, AND CHOSEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, or why the Ekklessia of Christ is said to be ELECTED TO SALVATION, just as Israel was ELECTED by YHVH to bring the knowledge of the true living God, YHVH incarnate in Christ, to the Gentiles. You don’t understand Jesus saying that HE CHOSE US, and not the other way around, nor do you understand Jesus saying that NO ONE CAN COME TO HIM UNLESS THE FATHER FIRST DRAWS THEM TO HIM, John 6. Romans 3 says we’re fallen to the extent that NO ONE SEEKS GOD, so unless God intervenes FIRST and draws us to Christ, then we will never come to Christ. I’m not a Calvinist, but I understood the doctrine of election to be true before I had ever heard of Calvin, and that was because I read the Bible and I prayed for the Holy Spirit to give me the correct understanding of the scriptures, since He is the Author. If you understand the doctrine of election, then you understand why some people will never come to Christ, because they were not elected by God. And if you don’t like the fact that God chooses who He will show mercy to, and who He won’t, then Romans 9 says you need to check yourself, because you are the creation, and HE IS THE CREATOR, and you have no business judging a Holy and righteous God, considering that you are a faIlen sïnner who has no righteousness of your own. “Who are you, O man, to judge God? Does the clay say to the Potter, “Why did you make me this way?”. God chooses some vessels for glory, and some for destruction, exactly as Romans 9 says. He is the AUTHOR AND FINISHER of our faith. Do you understand what that means? It means nobody can come to Christ unless God draws them to Christ, because He initiates our salvation, and He keeps us saved. The only ones who depart from the faith are those who were never saved to begin with, never born again. Jesus says you have no more control over the new spiritual birth and baptism into Christ by the Holy Spirit than you do over your birth into the world. The Holy Spirit goes WHERE HE WILLS, John 3. McArthur and Washer are doctrinally sound in their teaching. Just because you don’t like the truth of God’s Word doesn’t mean those who teach the scriptures as they’re written are preaching a false gospel. It means you don’t have an understanding of the scriptures that is from the Holy Spirit. The reason people despise the doctrine of election is because it eliminates their ability to boast of their own works for righteousness, which is exactly why God designed salvation on HIS TERMS, and not ours, so that NO MAN CAN BOAST, Ephesians 2 vs 8-9. The gospel say God has done all the work for our redemption, from drawing us to Christ, to giving us the faith to believe, to keeping us persevering through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to finishing the good work HE BEGAN in us when He calls us home. You will have no room to boast that any part of your salvation had anything to do with you and what you did, and that’s why people hate the doctrine of election.

​@jedimasterham2 you have no respect, how can a slanderer have any respect. Pr 10:18. Whoever conceals hatred has lying lips, And one who spreads slander is a fool. You are a hypocrite by concealing hatred which amounts to murder, God calls you a liar, a slanderer, and a fool. Repent fool.

@@jedimasterham2how is there gospel false? A Calvinist (I am one) and Arminian (who are my brothers) or anything in between, we preach Salvation by grace through faith, and placing your faith in the death burial and resurrection of Christ. No soteriology differs in that. Yes we have nuances of predestination and being born again and that state of man in his fallen nature, but we still all hold to the gospel.

@@casenswartz7278 Both Calvinism and Armenianism have false gospels. Calvinism believes Jesus did NOT die for every sinner, and that some sinners are simply predetermined to hell, and that no one is saved by trusting in Jesus, but is saved by God forcing sinners to have faith in Jesus. Armenianism believes one can lose salvation, which implies Jesus did actually pay for our sins. Both believe in salvation by works. Calvinism holds to "lordship salvation," that one saved must do certain works to prove they're saved. Armenianism hold a similar view, that one must do works to maintain salvation. Both are false gospels that are creating massive division to the church. Are most of these people saved? Yes, I think so. However, they're doing Satan's work for him, and they're undoubtedly grieving the holy spirit.

Because that's all it is, a business. Somebody's making alot of money!

Novus ordo cringe

So glad to hear you came out of that church. I attended a Catholic Church in Eagle River,Alaska in the early 80’s the men would go to the basement as did the women and children, the men drank beer. It just seemed wrong to me.

Where I grew up there was a Catholic church that had a carnival every year, and there was gambling and a beer garden. My dad told us not to go for that reason.

@@sharonabbott9588 Yes same here every year the carnival

Yes, you are correct. Mike Todd said the very same thing. Huge WARNING! What's up with the Adam's family

Many of them say that. If Furtick hasn't said it already, he will. If the pastor preaches from the pulpit in sneakers and skinny jeans, my guess is that slogan is prominent. Seems like somebody out there should have a skinny jeans to seeker sensitivity ratio...some kind of chart that could help us track these things...

That’s exactly what I thought of when he said that… the gospel is enough for people to come to Christ.

Yes it was. I think you are coming awful close to sin when you have young women dressed in super tight leather pants shaking their booties up in front of church, while, how many men fell into a lustful spirit that day? People need to get born again and become a NEW creation in Christ Jesus. So carnal, lukewarm, and worldly at best.

​@@joshmccracken16Furtick believes the same way. I heard him say his church is for the unsaved. I also heard him say he is God. His mentor is TD Jake's. Both are false prosperity preachers! That simple. The blind leading the blind!

I used to be surprised and the sheer stupidity of general humanity….now….I expect it.

With so many bibles written so differently scripture is getting confusing when you have to look up so many to understand the scripture

Not everyone has the gift to interpret the word of God properly.

It is sin!!! And I really believe our country is under divine judgment. I really believe the Lord has turned us a nation over to our sin. Paul Washer says when you see the kind of sin like homosexuality, transgenderism, and just plain out of control crime running rampant in a nation like it is here, God is not planning judgment, He is executing judgment.

@@Ourmemories2k33p. That is why the Holy Spirit is so important. The Holy Spirit will give you the discernment about what is fake and what is real. Avoid the Schofield Study Bible, its about dispensationalism, not salvation. Use the King James, if you don't understand, ask God to reveal to you His message. That is how you do it.

Sermon?

Join the club! Niigata represent! Lol

@@DavidJonespirateking Kobe!!

I was in Aomori-ken!

How did you get into that? And is there resources? My wife and I want to do long term missions in Japan, mainly training and teaching pastors

@@jeffybeast3665 I've been involved with missions since my high school youth group at church. For this mission trip, I was able to meet with an IMB missionary here who let me know about an opportunity to serve at a church in Kobe for two years.

But his ministry preaches a false gospel of Calvinism and salvation by works.

@@jedimasterham2..really🙄,..explain?

@@jeffkenyon483Friel preaches the false gospel of Calvinism. Calvinism denies Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected for everyone. Calvinism also denies God loves all sinners, denies everyone can be saved, and denies people can come to Christ without God forcing people to have faith in Jesus. In fact, they don't even believe in salvation through faith in Christ. They believe salvation is ultimately God picking people to be saved before creation. They also believe in salvation by works, in that they hold a saved person will inevitably produce works as evidence. So there's a social pressure to do good works to appease Calvinists. Calvinism is a cult that is 100% opposed to the Gospel. All it creates is narcissistic behavior and apathy for sharing the gospel. As they reason it, if only a select few can be saved, why share the gospel with people who can't be saved? Arminianism is just as bad.

@@jedimasterham2 what as an example did he say,or do that they teach that, give an example.

@@jedimasterham2 he believes that Jesus did die,and was resurrected for everyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ.

Yes! A gathering of believers worshiping God and for the flock to be fed. It's not a place for wanderers to grab a snack and be entertained.

So true 👍

Amen!

The believers are the church.

Amen

But isn’t that our culture? Our culture is awash in entertainment options. Maybe creativity is what’s needed to attract eyeballs. As long as their theology is acceptable I don’t see a problem with creativity and I’m not sure why anyone would.

@@kevinkent6351 Even if it's our culture, it doesn't make it right. We can make it entertaining, but at what cost? Is the theology acceptable... How many "churches" use entertaining sermons, or coffee shops, etc. to bring people in, but the Gospel gets lost for the purpose of entertainment and butts in seats.

@@BibleAndFriends If you’re entertaining and providing good theology and the gospel, what’s the problem exactly? Are you doing as the Pharisees and constructing a religious system based on your opinions and traditions?

@@kevinkent6351 @kevinkent6351 Is the theology acceptable... like you said, that is the question. I've seen time and time again churches start off theologically sound and then run off to entertain the world. I never said they can't be entertaining, but at what cost are they doing it.

you are still immature in your faith. and ofc im not judging, when it's a fact. Entertainment should not attract anyone. Biblical teaching IS NOT POPULAR. And what's popular isn't Biblical. Jesus was not entertaining. So ig you wouldn't follow Him now? Maybe? @@kevinkent6351

In his case he was wrong, but sometimes following Jesus does result in upsetting religious people, as Jesus upset religious people.

​@@christopherflux6254Jesus would offend this ridiculous "church" with his words

@@christopherflux6254 except the “religious people” the pastor was referring specifically to are the ones who try our best to adhere to scripture and deeply value the rightly-divided word of truth. The actual religious people are those who ascribe to charismatic evangelical doctrine. They teach a gospel of works… and then in the very next breath they tell you “It’s not about works.” I was a member of two different denominations within the charismatic movement over the course of 30 years and heard nothing but twisted scripture.

@@TVHouseHistorian I am part of a charismatic evangelical church, but we are very rooted in the Word. Everything is weighed and seen in light of scripture. We subscribe to the Westminister Confession. We just happen to believe (for scriptural reasons) that God sometimes does supernatural things through His followers today. We reject goofy things like Adams Family worship and Bethels gravesoaking. We are very clear that the Gospel is grace through faith and not by works.

They tried cancel Harry Potter? (blink in surprised)

But the Church Politic went overboard over Star Wars, though! Lol!!

@@chrismaguire3667 - They do know they're just.... stories? A story to amuse people? Like a puppet show? A story book? A parable? If Christians can't recognize what a story is, then what a sad life they will be.

@chrismaguire3667 the irony is now its reversed lol

What church is it

@@JohnJones-bk8tj Church of the Glades

@@kimwolf1708 never heard of it I was at Brownsville assembly of God

Friel is just as bad. He preaches a false gospel of Calvinism, which includes salvation by works. Yet somehow, people ignore this..

@jedimasterham2 he teaches salvation by works? I've listened to him for 10 years, you must be thinking of someone else.

do you think God has any less authority on october 31st? satan is active all year regardless of whether or not people dress up, and God is mightier than him always.

Yes, agreed. I go to church to be convicted of sin, too. If I weep, I weep. I acknowledge and confess my sin before God and repent. The best sermons are the ones that open one's eyes to the truth and get the sheep back on the narrow path, following the Good Shepherd .

What is the name of the place

The ideal church is the one church on this planet that mirrors everything that was taught and practiced by the original apostles.